Manchester City were a class apart as they put four past the Hammers (Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Moyes watched as, according to Shearer, his "lazy" players were "robbing their fans" (Image: PA Wire)

But skipper Noble insisted they were simply helpless against a side chasing Premier League records for most points, wins and goals in a season.

He said: “We’ve sat in the dressing room and said there was nothing we could do about that result. We didn’t want it to be 4-1, but they are that good — they’ve done it to a lot better teams than us this season.”

Like the home crowd, striker Marko Arnautovic wanted to know what was going on (Image: AFP/Getty)

Not getting any points against City left West Ham looking over their shoulders at the wrong end of the table.

They are just three points above the drop zone with a run-in that pits them against Leicester, Manchester United and Everton.

Noble said: “If we’d got anything from the City game, we’d have been over the moon.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

...he reckons the Hammers' remaining three games are what will really decide their fate (Image: Reuters)

“But the next three games – Leicester away, Manchester United at home and Everton at home – really define our season. I think the players know that.

“If we play how we can play against a team that is ‘safe’, like Leicester, we can win, but we’re going to have to turn up and play the best we can. We are confident we can go there and get a result, of course we are.

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“We don’t want to be involved in any final-day drama and, in all honesty, I don’t think we will, but we have to get the points on the board.

“There are five teams left involved in it and I can assure you we’ll have a good go.”